EIGHTY-EIGHT ENTRIES FOR IRISH U18 GIRLS CLOSE CH/SHIP

The wearing of the green. Julie McCarthy in action for Ireland. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

JULIE (15) DEFENDS IRISH GIRLS' TITLE 

AT SHANNON NEXT WEEK
IRISH LADIES GOLF UNION NEWS RELEASE 

Fifteen-year-old Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little) will defend her title next week when the Irish Girls' close championship takes place at Shannon Golf Club, from July 16 to 19 

The Championship will no doubt be fiercely contested as the field boasts the current Irish Ladies Close Champion Mary Doyle (The Heath) and the Irish Girls Open Strokeplay Champion Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co. Down Ladies).  Olivia will be keen to go one better having been runner-up at this event for the last two years.  Mary and Olivia were both selected on the Irish Ladies team that partook in European Ladies Team Championship this week in Slovenia.

In addition to Julie McCarthy, the remaining five of Irish Girls Internationals who competed at the European Girls’ Team Championships in Slovakia this week are in the field, namely Ciara Casey (Hermitage), Mairead Martin (Killarney), Niamh McSherry (Lurgan), Niamh Ward (Lurgan) and Chloe Weir (Shandon Park).

An additional incentive for the competing field will be the announcement following the Championship of the eight-player Irish girls’ team who will compete in the Girls Home International Matches at Donabate Golf Club, Dublin    from August 6-8 when it is hoped that home support will be a strong influence.

 The team will be captained by Darragh McGowan (Ballybofey and Stranorlar) and managed by Gemma Butler (Birr).
Shannon Golf Club, established in 1966 the course has matured into one of the best inland courses in Munster and Ireland.   The Girls Championship course of 5809 yards will prove a strong challenge with water hazards a feature on the 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 14^th and the par three 17^th is the signature hole which requires a shot over the Shannon Estuary.
The field which was increased to 84 competitors to include entries with a handicap 22 or less (with half the field under 10) will play 36 holes strokeplay on Wednesday with the top 32 players qualifying for the championship match play flight.  The first round losers in the Championship with contest the plate while the non qualifiers will play  stableford competitions on days 2 and 3.